Don Quixote, Part II, by Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra, translated by Edith Grossman, introduced by Harold Bloom.#

The story of the Knight continued in the second part of this history.#

Something I enjoyed very much about this story is how the people in the world whom Don Quixote meets know who he is and have read the first book. I thought it was very clever and a great device to create adventure.#

During the first few episodes, the Don and Sancho have a conversation where Sancho says this, note the editor's remark:#

Señor, sorrows were made not for animals but for men; but if men feel them too much, they turn into animals; your grace should restrain yourself, and come back to yourself, and pick up Rocinante's reins, and liven up and rouse yourself, and show the bravery that knights errant ought to haave. What the devil is this? What kind of mood is this? Are we here or in France? [ed--This is a way to say, "Let's behave sensibly and realistically."] Let Satan carry off all the Dulcineas in the world, for the well-being of a single knight errant is worth more than all the enchantments and transformations on earth." [p. 521]

Later on, Don Quixote meets a young poet and gives him the following advice:#

"[...] I shall be content with merely advising your grace that, being a poet, you can achieve fame if you are guided more by other people's opinions than by your own, for no father or mother thinks their children are ugly, and for those born of the understanding, such deception is an even greater danger." [p. 575]

At one point, the following line from the Aeneid comes up and I found it had much flow, as the rapper in me would say:#

Quis talia fando temperet a lacrymis?

A line from Virgil's Aeneid (II, 6 and 8): "Who, hearing this, can hold back his tears?" [p. 711]

Deeper in the story, Don Quixote meets Princess Antonomasia.#

A topic of conversation among the computer inclined is how to name their computer systems. I have found a great naming scheme: Famous knight's horses:#

"His name," responded the Dolorous One, "is not that of Bellerophon's horse, named Pegasus, or that of Alexander the great, called Bucephalus, or that of the furious Orlando, dubbed Brillador, much less Bayarte, who belonged to Reinaldos de Montalbán, or Frontino, who was Ruggiero's steed, or Bootes or Pirithous, which, they say, were the names of the horses of the Sun, and his name is not Orelia, like the horse on which the unfortunate Rodrigo, last king of the Visigoths, entered the battle in which he lost his life and his kingdom." [p. 715]

Rocinante must be added to the list, of course.

In the second set of advice that Sancho receives before starting as a governor, the Kinght of the Lions says,#

"[...] Be temperate in your drinking, remebering that too much wine cannot keep either a secret or a promise." [p. 733]

Don Quixote, Part I, by Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra, translated by Edith Grossman, introduced by Harold Bloom.#

The true history of the famous Knight of the Sorrow Face from La Mancha.#

This is an incredibly enjoyable piece of history. From the interesting remarks about knight errantry, and the references to past knights (Now you will see, said Agrajes. [p. 63]), and to the charming inline love stories, like that of Grisótomo and Marcela; it is a jewel throughout.#

When the two Knights meet for the first time, I thought the interaction was clever:#

When the young man reached them, he greeted them in a hoarse and rasping voice, but with great courtesy. Don Quixote returned the greetings with no less courtesy, and, after dismounting Rocinante, with a gallant air and presence he went forward to embrace him and held him close for a long while, as if he had known him for some time. The other man, whom we can call The Ragged One of the Gloomy Face--as Don Quixote is He of the Sorrowful One--allowed himself to be embraced, then stepped back, placed his hands on Don Quixote's shoulders, and stood looking at him as if wanting to see if he knew him, no less astonished, perhaps, at the face, form, and arms of Don Quixote than Don Quixote was at the sight of him. Finally, the first to speak after their embrace was the Ragged One, and he said what will now be recounted. [p. 182]

The letter that the betrayed daughter sends to her love is touching and contains a wonderful phrase at the end:#

Don Fernado's promise to you that he would speak to your father about speaking to mine has been carried out more to his pleasure than to your benefit. Know then, Señor, that he has asked for my hand in marriage, and my father, carried away by the advantage he thinks Don Fernado has over you, has agreed to everything he wishes, and with so much enthusiasm that in two days' time the betrothal will take place so secretly and so privately that the only witnesses will be heaven and a few of our servants. Imagine the state I am in; if you come, you will see it, and you will know, in the outcome of this business, whether or not I love you dearly. May it please God that this reaches your hands before my hand finds itself joined with that of one who does not know how to keep the faith he promises. [p. 221]

From the story of Lotario and Camila, I thought this was delightful:#

But the benefit derived from Camila's many virtues imposing silence on Lotario in fact did harm to them both, because if his tongue was silent, his mind was active and had the opportunity to contemplate, one by one, all the exceptional qualities of virtue and beauty in Camila, which were enough to make a marble statue fall in love, let alone a human heart. [p. 288]